The beginning of a new calendar year signifies two great opportunities for clubs within the Rotary family: 1) For current club leaders to re-evaluate their plans and pivot so that goals are met and plans are more viable; and, 2) For incoming club leaders to assess and gauge current club trends, investigate reliable sources of useful information, tools and resources, explore new options for improvements and seek out best practices to follow and apply Rotary guidelines.
On such an occasion, one recent and very valuable resource was offered by the RI membership team. Running for most of the 2020-2021 Rotary year, Accountability and Inclusion: A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Webinar Series presented on the very real issues clubs face with membership diversity, attraction and retention, as well as, the difficulties and successes endured when seeking to implement and sustain DEI principles.
Over the course of six content-rich and engaging sessions, the team covered a broad range of subjects which are now all available to clubs and members to watch and gain advantage:
| Title | Description | Recording |
|---|---|---|
| Session 01 – Design An Inclusive Plan For Your Organization | Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds. A first step is to create a plan that welcomes all people, extends to all activities, and has measurable results. Join us to explore how you can create an inclusive framework for your organization. Looking for inspiration? Learn more about the frameworks shared by Ofek, Carol, and Sydney here: http://bit.ly/DEIStories A topic has been added to the Learning Center to share resources and best practices that support the understanding and progress of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Rotary (My Rotary login required): | WATCH |
| Session 02 – Power of Connection With Diverse Communities | During this webinar you will:
A topic has been added to the Learning Center to share resources and best practices that support the understanding and progress of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Rotary (My Rotary login required): | WATCH |
| Session 03 – Exploring The Black Experience In Rotary | Humans are composed of unique and intersecting sets of social identities, defined by our physical, social, and mental characteristics. Examples include race/ethnicity, gender, social class/socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disabilities, and religion/religious beliefs. By considering each other’s lives, experiences, and perspectives, we allow a community to be not only about what we have in common but what makes us different. Through hearing stories of Black Rotarians around the world, you will:
A topic has been added to the Learning Center to share resources and best practices that support the understanding and progress of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Rotary (My Rotary login required): A copy of the slides can be downloaded from Slideshare: https://slideshare.net/secret/wir1VYs4jaCouc | WATCH |
| Session 04 – Build Strong Intergenerational Relationships | Generational diversity is one of Rotary’s competitive advantages. Few organizations span generations and build personal connections the way we do. Yet we also can find ourselves segmented by age groups and unable or unwilling to challenge our biases about people of other ages. According to a study by consulting network Deloitte, 70% of survey respondents from around the world say that leading multigenerational organizations is important or very important for their success over the next 12 to 18 months, but only 10% say they're very ready to do so. In this webinar, we will hear from a variety of Rotary Program participants who have built strong intergenerational relationships, and:
Please note: closed captions are machine-generated, and the accuracy may be limited. https://bit.ly/DEILearnMore | WATCH |
| Session 05 – Build A Community For People With Disabilities | What do someone with a broken leg, someone in a wheelchair, and someone pushing a stroller have in common? They would all struggle to enter a building without access to a ramp. To build truly inclusive organizations, we need to offer products and experiences that can be used by the widest range of people, regardless of ability. Because exclusion can happen at any time, depending on the specific set of circumstances. According to the World Bank, one billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability, and the prevalence of disability is growing due to population aging and the global increase in chronic health conditions. In conversation with disability rights advocates, we will learn to:
Please note: closed captions are machine-generated, and the accuracy may be limited. | WATCH |
| Session 06 – Planning For An Inclusive Future | Now that you’re equipped with an understanding of DEI, it’s time to consider the culture you want to create — ideally, it’s one that’s authentic to your brand and meets the needs of your community. Make inclusivity a core part of what you do rather than just a one-time effort. You may have members who find the changes you’re making difficult, so it’s important to remember the values those changes are based on. Members of the Rotary DEI Task Force discuss the current state of DEI in Rotary, as well as share several recent board decisions that reinforce our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. | WATCH |